Behaviour - how to help your pet reach their full potential
At Belconnen Animal Hospital we understand how your pet's behaviour can impact your quality of life and theirs.
None of us are perfect and the same can be said for many of our pets. Dogs and cats have individual and varied personalities and life experiences, which can all impact their behaviours.
Behavioural medicine and training has also come a long way, giving us many options to help your pet. Gone are the days when pack theory and the need to assert your role as the dominant alpha leader were the main training methods. For more about the dominance myth and why these methods are no longer recommended, read here.
There are many dogs out there that experience anxiety in their day-to-day lives. Fear is a common cause of aggression towards other dogs, people and also a common cause of problem behaviours such as barking and chewing. Getting to the underlying cause and motivation of your dog's behaviour is the key to getting lasting change. Using methods such as punishment, bark collars will ultimately make these pets much worse and research has shown they can also increase the likelihood of aggressive behaviours.
Two of our vets, Dr. Sarah and Dr. Eloise have a special interest in behaviour, so please chat to them or book a behaviour consultation if you would like some one-on-one help with your pet. We are happy to see both dogs and cats for behaviour consultations. Usually consultations are booked for an hour and cost $220. This includes a full report to help you implement any strategies we discuss at home.
In order to help us to get to the heart of the problem, we would love you to fill out the behaviour questionnaire and either bring it to your consultation, or email it back prior to the appointment. Videos are encouraged and it is not always necessary to bring your anxious pet in with you for the consultation.
None of us are perfect and the same can be said for many of our pets. Dogs and cats have individual and varied personalities and life experiences, which can all impact their behaviours.
Behavioural medicine and training has also come a long way, giving us many options to help your pet. Gone are the days when pack theory and the need to assert your role as the dominant alpha leader were the main training methods. For more about the dominance myth and why these methods are no longer recommended, read here.
There are many dogs out there that experience anxiety in their day-to-day lives. Fear is a common cause of aggression towards other dogs, people and also a common cause of problem behaviours such as barking and chewing. Getting to the underlying cause and motivation of your dog's behaviour is the key to getting lasting change. Using methods such as punishment, bark collars will ultimately make these pets much worse and research has shown they can also increase the likelihood of aggressive behaviours.
Two of our vets, Dr. Sarah and Dr. Eloise have a special interest in behaviour, so please chat to them or book a behaviour consultation if you would like some one-on-one help with your pet. We are happy to see both dogs and cats for behaviour consultations. Usually consultations are booked for an hour and cost $220. This includes a full report to help you implement any strategies we discuss at home.
In order to help us to get to the heart of the problem, we would love you to fill out the behaviour questionnaire and either bring it to your consultation, or email it back prior to the appointment. Videos are encouraged and it is not always necessary to bring your anxious pet in with you for the consultation.